About Alaka`ina Foundation

Develop. Build. Grow.

Alaka‘ina in Hawaiian means “leadership” and our mission at the Alaka‘ina Foundation is to build and promote leadership and education initiatives for “na pua o Hawai‘i,” or the youth of Hawai‘i.

Our goal is to develop a new generation of leaders, especially among those who live in rural areas, who have the aptitude, attitude and vision to lead our communities and our nation in the future. Our programs include:

Innovative educational projects, such as the Digital Bus, that blend science, technology, and environmental stewardship

Teacher enrichment initiatives

Scholarships and internships

Support for community programs and organizations

One of the symbols we use to represent the Alaka‘ina Foundation is the kukui tree. The state tree of Hawai‘i, the kukui is a symbol of enlightenment and protection. It provided the ancient Hawaiians with many essentials, among them light, fuel, medicine, and dye. The candlenut from the kukui tree helped support our ancestors as they worked to build a better future. Today, the Alaka‘ina Foundation is helping the youth of Hawai‘i grow and flourish. You can see the fruit of our efforts in the real-life photos from the Digital Bus project that we’ve used throughout this Website.

The Alaka`ina Foundation is a non-profit Native Hawaiian Organization that was incorporated in March 2004.